Summer camps a boon for determined ones, say parents

The camps are a boon for both the parents and their special children.

With summer season in full swing and schools off, it can become a bit of a challenge for parents of children of determination to keep their children engaged and entertained at the same time. Which is why most of the parents look forward to summer camps for determined ones.
These camps are a boon for both the parents and their special children as not only they get to meet, learn and share their issues with other parents and special trainers but also their children get to participate in fun activities with others helping them build a peer support network, and developing their self-confidence and coping skills.
Educational psychologist and director of EduScan institute for determined ones, Dr Alka Kalra, has been running inclusive summer camps for determined ones for the last 25 years and says these camps can be therapeutic for both regular children and the determined ones.
"These summer camps are therapeutic for the determined ones as they are given the freedom to dance, sing, make friends freely without being judged and that's what makes these camps more energizing than draining for them, " Dr Alka said.
She said summer camps are important as they help to enhance the creativity of the children. "Instead of sitting in from of TV or using their gadgets during vacations , it's better to invest this time into capacity-building of the brain through various fun activities. The activities we do with our children are yoga, dancing, karate, swimming, ice skating, memory and concentration, public speaking, creative thinking. At these camps, the child is able to learn much more in a creative way for which you usually don't have time throughout the year."
Talking about the inclusive aspect of her summer camps at Eduscan, Dr Alka said: "Our summer camps that have both determined ones as well as regular students because it is important to acquaint them to each other. Through these camps we also train regular students to learn to accommodate the determined ones and accept them. This is our way of telling them and others that it is our responsibility as a society to accept these determined ones and not ignore them. "
Dr Alka runs four summer camps in different locations across the UAE with about 100 students in each , where 5-10 percent children are determined ones. EduScan summer camps are held from 9am to 1pm at Amity International school in Sharjah, Iranian club in oud Maith, Bright Riders school in Dubai Investment Park.
"We also run a progressive academic training where we do a lot of therapies as a part of the summer camp. The camps run from 9am to 1pm for five days a week and at the end of the vacations, we will have a stage performance where children display whatever they learn during the camp to their parents."
Parent of a determined one Meena Noronha, who is also a coordinator of summer camp activiities of Special Families Support (SFS) group, a support group for families with children of determination , said summer camps are a source of relaxation for both children and their parents.   
"These two summer months - July and August- are an exciting time for us parents of determined ones and our children as we get to go out together. At SFS summer camps we go to different entertainment parks and do fun activities free of cost. As the coordinator of the group, I write to various establishments, who then organize free fun outing for us for example, we went to Magic Planet, Al Nasr Leisure land for swimming and ice skating.
Every week we have two to three outings which our children absolutely love."
Talking about why they look forward to the camps, Meena said: " We are a group of about 80-90 determined ones and their parents who meet up and go out together as a family during these summer months. This we call as our summer camp.
 
These camps give our children a chance to try out different activities along with others similar to them. It is easy for them to try new things when in a group.
 
"We parents meet each other and get time to discuss or challenges and ideas on dealing with different issues. We are comfortable that no one is judging us or our determined ones."
A member of SFS, and mother of 14 year old autistic child, Fathima said she and her some Feroze eagerly wait for summer camps as it gives them a chance to explore many new places which they otherwise don't get time and opportunity to visit. " I even plan our vacation after these summer camp activities as my son waits for these two months. He remembers the different activities, rides, and the different people he meets during these camps because all of them are his age and and fun loving. I feel going out in such groups and exploring different places with his friends at the camp has really opened up his mind and widened his scope of thinking. He remembers activities he does at the different places, he learns about them and he stays happy, which is our main concern."
 
Saman@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai